Eight years ago, soon-to-be First Lady Melania Trump did not immediately take up residence in the White House after her husband's election, preferring to remain in New York with her son.

However, Mrs. Trump says that this time she is ready to leave private life behind and start fulfilling her duties. 

"I will be in the White House"

According to The New York Times, she made that point clear during an interview earlier this month with "Fox and Friends" host Ainsley Earhardt.

"I will be in the White House," Mrs. Trump told Earhardt. "And when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach."

"But my first priority is to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife. And once we are in on January 20, you serve the country," she declared.

What's more, Mrs. Trump also insisted that she is now better prepared for carrying out her role in the nation's capital.

Mrs. Trump says she is "already packed"

"This time I have everything," Mrs. Trump stated. "I have the plans. I could move in. I already packed. I already selected the, you know, furniture that needs to go in."

"I just feel that people didn’t accept me, maybe," she acknowledged. "They didn’t understand me the way maybe they do now. And I didn’t have much support."

What's more, Mrs. Trump went on to stress that she is not "just a wife of the president" but will be "standing on my own two feet, independent."

"I have my own thoughts. I have my own yes and no. I don’t always agree [with] what my husband is saying or doing. And that's OK," Mrs. Trump explained.

Nevertheless, she and the president-elect seem to be of one mind regarding the need to keep government spending under control.

First Lady's office won't "hire too many people"

"I don't want to hire too many people on my team, spending too much taxpayer money," the incoming first lady told Earhardt.

BREAKING: First Lady Melania Trump just revealed that she is cutting down the size of the First Lady's office to save money.

"I don't want to hire too many people on my team, spending too much taxpayer money. I want to make sure that every position, they are talented, they have… pic.twitter.com/ebhXUooyDR

— George (@BehizyTweets) January 13, 2025

"I want to make sure that every position, they are talented, they have merit, they know what they're doing," Mrs. Trump said of those she plans to bring on board.